Soviet Foreign Policy - Pt. 1 (con't)

Author: Linda DeLaine
Website: RL Online
Department:
Page: 4 ( 5) pages

Stalin WWII poster In the latter part of 1934, Soviet Russia made what appeared to be dramatic changes in its foreign policy stance. It joined the League of Nations (September 1934). In 1935, Moscow heralded the policy of Popular Fronts, the creation of alliances between socialists and communists within the European nations. The 180 degree shift in policy gave the impression of being anti-German. Actually, it was anti-Hitler.

Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, January 1933, and made it clear that he supported an anti-communist, thus anti-Soviet Russia, policy. It appeared that the German people agreed when 44 percent voted for the Nazis in the March 5, 1933, election.

In reality, the bulk of the German people were not affected by Hitler's racist and nationalist opinions. Germany was prospering in the 1920s and was an industrial leader in Europe. When the U.S. stock market crashed in October 1929, it sent shockwaves throughout the international financial community. Germany was hit hard when American banks demanded full payment of loans and credits extended to it. The result was the spread of the Great Depression to, among other nations, Germany, where most of her financial institutions and businesses went bankrupt. For the masses, this meant unemployment, no money, hunger, despair and everything else that goes with financial crisis. The current government of the Weimar Republic could not fix the situation over night. While Germans languished, Hitler came upon the scene promising employment and food for everyone. In 1933, Germans voted for Hitler and the Nazis, not because of his anti-Soviet and other racist views, but for his promises of salvation from poverty.

If the German Communists had joined forces with the German Social Democratic Party, Hitler would not have been able to win the 1933 election. Instead, the Comintern told German communists to run against not only the Nazis, but all other socialist and bourgeois candidates. As a result, Hitler had little trouble getting the largest share of the popular vote. There is strong speculation that Stalin wanted Hitler to win, seeing this as a sure way to get rid of him. Stalin wagered that Hitler would not be able to deliver on his promises of jobs and food for all Germans. Since this was the only reason most people voted for him, the anger of a disappointed people would surely result in Hitler being run out of office or worse. Stalin further wagered that Germany would then elect a communist leadership.

Hitler soon set himself up as a dictator with absolute control over the Reichstag (legislature). He threw German communists in prison and pulled out of the secret German - Soviet joint military development activities in the Soviet Union. Concerned about economics, Hitler did agree to renew the Treaty of Berlin in order to retain trade relations with Soviet Russia.

Hitler's rise to power prompted the Soviet government to create a new policy known as the Litvinov Policy, named after Maxim M.Litvinov, Commissar of Foreign Affairs from late 1930 to May 1939. The policy centered around the concept of collective security and paved the way to the Soviet Union joining the League of Nations in 1934. Lenin had referred to the league as an anti-Soviet band of robbers.

French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou proposed an Eastern Locarno in 1934. Under this agreement, Moscow would come to the aid of French allies, Poland and Czechoslovakia, should either be attacked by Germany. Poland and Czechoslovakia rejected the idea of any form of assistance from the Soviets, making this agreement virtually useless. Germany would not sign the Eastern Locarno, thus, Britain would not support it, either. Even though the pact failed, it was to be the start of repeated French diplomatic efforts to ally with the Soviets for the purpose of warding off their common threat, Hitler and the Nazis.

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Soviet Foreign Policy - Pt. 1 (con't)

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